Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the redistributive payment proposal from the French Government and a similar proposal included in the Council of Ministers' proposals are till on the table; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21466/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that the redistributive payment proposal is still on the table. This proposal, which gives Member States the option of using up to 30% of the national ceiling for a top-up payment to farmers on hectares up to the national average farm size or up to 30 hectares, forms part of the General Approach on CAP reform agreed by the Council of Ministers last March. This option is an add-on and not an alternative to flat rate or partial convergence.

The option did not form part of the original Commission proposal. However the European Parliament has proposed a similar option to that of the Council which would allow top-ups on up to the first 50 hectares of each farm, using up to 30% of national envelopes.

This issue will now be the subject of further negotiations between the three EU institutions in the trilogues process.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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41. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he discussed the Common Agricultural Policy negotiations with any European leaders recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15989/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am in regular contact with my colleagues from other Member States and the EU institutions regarding the Common Agricultural Policy negotiations. I chaired a full discussion of the CAP reform proposals at the most recent meeting of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers a little over two weeks ago and I had the opportunity for informal discussions with the Agriculture Commissioner and a number of Member States in the margins of that Council. Next week I will chair an orientation debate on CAP reform at the May Agriculture Council when we will explore the possibilities for reaching political agreement on this very complex dossier. I am also in regular contact with the chairman of the Agricultural Committee of the European Parliament and had a detailed discussion with him and the rapporteurs for the four main CAP reform regulations towards the end of last month.

My intention is to continue with these contacts and meetings with a view to obtaining agreement on CAP reform between the three EU institutions by the end of June.